


fyn'^^ua.-^^ . flLo-c-*^^ /nJLtMJiu^ t^CL- 



School Laws Enacted by the General 
Assembly of Louisiana. 



SESSION OF 1910 



T. H. HARRIS 

Superintendent of Public Education for Louisiana. 






p. OF 0. 

OCT 81 ^^0 



ACT No. 22. 
House Bill No. 51. 

AN ACT 

To authorize the President or Prioress, Directors, Faculty and 
Trustees of St. Mary's Dominican Academy of the New 
Orleans Female Dominican Academy, to confer degrees 
and diplomas appertaining to letters and Arts. 

Whereas, due notice of the intention to apply for the passage 
of this Act has been published as required by Article fifty of 
the Constitution of the State of Louisiana, and evidence thereof 
has been exhibited in and to the General Assembly, as required 
by law. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
State of Louisiana, That the "St. Mary's Dominican Academy" 
of New Orleans, an institution of learning, situated in the 
Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana, and under the auspices 
and the direction of the corporations created and organized 
under the laws of this State, known as the "New Orleans Fe- 
male Dominican Academy," and the President or Prioress, 
Directors, faculty or trustees thereof be and are hereby empow- 
ered and authorized to graduate students and to grant all 
diplomas and degrees appertaining to letters and Arts known 
to the Universities and colleges in Europe and America, on per- 
sons competent and deserving the same. 

Section 2. Be it further enacted, etc.. That this Act shall 
take effect from and after its passage.' 



ACT No. 39. 
House Bill No. 108. 

AN ACT 

To require the Governor, by and with the consent of the Senate, 
to appoint a State Text-Book Committee; prescribing the 
qualifications and duties of the committee, and fixing their 
compensation and to prescribe the duties of the State Board 
of Education in connection with the work of said committee 
upon the subject of text-books. 

Section One. Be, it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
State of Louisiana, That the Governor, by and with the consent 
of the Senate shll select and appoint seven educators of known 
character and ability in their profession, 'each of whom slmll hold 
parish superintendent's eligibility certificates, a first grade teach- 
er's certificate, or the equivalent, one to be selected from each 
of the seven Congressional Districts, who, together with the State 
Superintendent of Public Education, shall constitute the State 
Text-Book Committee. 



Section Two. Be it further enacted, etc., That the State Su- 
perintendent of Public Education shall be ex-officio chairman and 
shall serve on the committee without compensation, and tlie other 
members of said committee shall be paid the sum of five dollars 
($5) per diem during the time they are actually away from their 
homes on the business of said committee, and their actual travel- 
ing expenses in going to and from the place of meeting, upon 
warrants drawn by the State Superintendent of Education and 
approved by the Governor, provided that they shall not be paid 
for more than twenty days' service in any adoption. The term 
of office of the members of the said committee appointed by the 
Governor shall be six years. Five members of tlie said com- 
mittee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. 

Section Three. Be it further enacted, etc.. That it shall be 
the dutj^ of the said committee to examine the merits of new 
public school books as they come from the press and determine 
in every Avay whether the books that are in use in the public 
schools of the State are giving satisfaction. 

Section Four. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the members 
of the said committee shall qualify witliin thirty days after their 
appointment. Each member thereof shall take and subscribe to 
an oath to faithfully discharge all the duties devolving upon him 
as a member of said committee ; that he is not interested, directly 
or indirectly in any contract that may be made between the pub- 
lisher or publishers of any text-book or text-books submitted for 
adoption ; that he will examine carefully all books submitted for 
adoption, and will, to the best of his ability, make the wisest 
recommendations possible of any and all books to be used in the 
public schools of the State. At tlie first meeting of the said 
committee, they shall organize by selecting a secretary from 
among their number, and he shall not receive any additional 
compensation. 

Section Five. Be it further enacted, etc., That the said com- 
mittee shall meet in the office of the State Superintendent of 
Education on the second Monday in January of the year in 
which the adoption of text-books is to be made by the State 
Board of Education ; that they shall sit as a committee to exam- 
ine all text-books submitted, and in making" such examination 
said committee shall take into consideration the adaptability 
of said books to the needs of the schools of the State, their 
size, mechanical qualities, such as binding, type, printing, pa- 
per, etc. ; illustrative material, quality ftnd arrangement of 
subject matter. Said committee shall compile and com- 
plete their report to. -the State Board of Education on or 
]>efore the first Monday in IMarch; said report shall be filed with 
the State Superintendent of Education who shall cause same 
to be given to tlic^ press of the State and a copy thereof to be 
forwarded to the Parish Boards of School Directors for the sev- 
eral Parishes. For the purpose of considering the rc^port of said 
committee and the adoption of text-books for use in the public 



schools, the State Board of Education shall meet the second ^Ion- 
day in April of each year in which an adoption is made. 

Section Six. Be it further enacted, etc.. That tlie adoption 
of elementary text-books and high school books shall be made in 
periods of three years apart, and, for the purpose of carrying 
out this provision the first adoption of high school text-books 
shall be made in the year 1913 and the first adoption of ele- 
mentary text-books shall be made in the year 1916. In order 
that this provision providing for the adoption of elementary 
text-books may be carried out, the Governor of the State is 
hereby authorized to extend the present contracts of elementary 
text-books for three years. 

Section Seven. Be it further enacted, etc., That said com- 
mittee in its final report to the State Board of Education shall 
be required to classify all books examined into three classes, 
designated in the order of merit by first, second, and third, as 
follows : 

Elementary Text Books: Spelling; Reading, including 
Primer ; Language Books ; Louisiana History ; United States 
History ; Arithmetic, Written and Mental ; Geography, Physiol- 
ogy ; Agriculture ; Music ; Writing ; Drawing ; Civics. 

High School Text Books : English, including spelling ; Eng- 
lish Grammar ; English Classics ; Composition and Rhetoric ; 
English and American Literature ; History, including United 
States History, Ancient, Mediaeval and Modern, English and 
Industrial History; Civics and Economics; Mathematics, in- 
eluding Arithmetic, Written and Mental, Algebra, Plane and 
Solid Geometry; Trigonometry; Science, including Physiology, 
Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, and Agriculture ; Music ; 
Drawing; Commercial subjects, including Bookkeeping, Sten- 
ography, Typewriting, Business Law and Geography; Latin; 
First Year Latin, CaBsar, Cicero, Latin Grammar, and Latin 
Composition ; French ; Elementary Course ; Grammar, Prose 
composition. Intermediate course and Advanced course; Ger- 
man ; elementary course, Grammar, Prose composition. Interme- 
diate Course and Advanced Course. 

Said committee may also recommend for adoption library 
and reference books for use in the public schools and a series 
of books for optional supplementary use in all schools that may 
feel the need of more material than is contained in the regular 
text books, but said library, reference and supplementary books 
shall not be used to the exclusion of the regular texts. 

Section Eight. -Be it further enacted, etc., That the State 
Board of Education shall adopt a uniform series of text books 
for six years and shall be limited in such adoption to those rec- 
ommended by the Text Book Committee. Not more than three 
subjects or parts of subjects of the elementary grades and not 
more than two of the followinj^ high school subjects can be 
changed at any one adoption, to-wit: Algebra, English Gram- 
mar, Composition and Rhetoric, Botany, Zoology. Cliemistiy, 
Geometry, American History, Ancient History, Media3val and 



]\Iodern History, and of the remaining high school subjects not 
more than five can be changed at any one adoption, provided 
that any text book used in the schools of this State may be 
changed at any time upon the written application of forty parish 
school boards, as per resolution of said boards duly certified 
to the State Board of Education ; and all contracts for adoption 
of text books for use in the public schools shall cover a period 
of six years. The State Board of Education shall strictly enforce 
a uniformity of all text books in all public schools during the 
term of such contract. 

Section Nine. Be it further enacted, etc., That the mode of 
procedure for the announcement of bids, awarding of contracts, 
location of depositories for the distribution of school text books 
shall be left to the State Board of Education. 

Section Ten. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all laws re- 
lating to the adoption of text books and parts of laws contrary 
to or in conflict herewith be and the same are hereby repealed. 



ACT No. 53. 
House Bill No. 107. 

AN ACT 

To amend and re-enact Section 38 of Act 214 of 1902, entitled 
"An Act in relation to free public schools, and to regulate 
public education in the State of Louisi?na; to provide a 
revenue for same, and impose certain penalties ; and to ap- 
ply fines imposed by District Courts, and amounts collected 
on bonds, to the purpose of public education." 

S;'c^"ion J- Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
Slaie of Jiouisiana, That Section 38 of Act 214 of \l902 be 
amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows: 

Section 38. Be it enacted, etc.. That it shall be the duty of 
each parish superintendent on or before the tenth day of July 
of each year, to cause to be placed in the hands of the Superin- 
tendent of Pu])lic Education the official report of his parish 
schools for the previous session, showing in tables an aggregate 
of the school districts in his parish, the districts in which the 
schools are taught, and the length of time taught, the numlx'r of 
children at school, the cost of tuition of each child per month 
and for the session, the number of private schools, colleges and 
academies taught in the parish, and tlie length of the session of 
the same; the number of teachers employed, 7nale, female, white 
and colored, the average wages of male teachers, female teachers, 
the amount of money raised for school purposes in the parish by 
local taxation or otherwise, and for what purpose it was dis- 
bursed; the number and kind of school houses, the actual or ap- 
proximate value of each, the number built during the session pre- 
ceding the report, the numl)er of school libraries and the nuniber 
of volumes in each and the increase during the session, and the 



amount received and expended for them. In case of neglect or 
failure to make this report in the time required he shall forfeit 
and pay the sum of ten dollars per week, or fraction of a week, 
for the full time of his delinquency ; said amount to be collected 
by the parish board for the benefit of the institute fund of the 
State. 

Section 2. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all laws or parts 
of laws inconsistent with this Act be and the same are hereby 
repealed. 



ACT No. 54. 
House Bill No. 114. ' 

AN ACT 

To amend and re-enact Act 129 of 1908, entitled, "An Act to 
amend and re-enact Section 2962 of the Revised Statutes of 
the State of Louisiana." 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
State of Louisiana, That Act 129 of 1908, entitled, ''An Act to 
amend and re-enact Section 2962 of the Revised Statutes of 
the State of Louisiana," be amended and re-enacted so as to 
read as follows. 

Should a majority of the legal voters be against the sale of 
the lands, then it shall be the duty of the parish board of school, 
directors of the parish in which said lands are located to secure 
them from injury and waste and to prevent illegal possession or 
aggression of any kind and to lease the same, or any part thereof 
according to the provisions of the Act of Congress aforesaid as 
amended by Act of Congress, approved June 12th, 1884, and to 
inform the State Superintendent thereof. 

Such lease shall only be made after due notice shall have been 
given by advertisement, for at least thirty days, in the official 
journal of the parish, or in any paper published regularly in the 
parish containing the land to be leased, of the time and place 
when the land will be offered for lease to the liighest bidder. In 
all cases ample security shall be required, not only for the punc- 
tual payment of the rent but for the protection of the lands from 
all kinds of waste and injury. Said parish board of school 
directors shall have the right to reject any and all bids offered 
for said lease, if in its judgment the bids do not reach a just and 
fair value of the lease. 

The Parish Board of School Directors shall have the author- 
ity, when its judgment, it is to the best interest of the scliools of 
a township, to take the sense of the leoral voters residing in such 
township relative to the sale of the timber on sixteenth section 
school lands situated therein or the lease or the sale of oil and 
mineral rights on such land. Said vote shall be taken under 
tlie direction of said board, who shall give thirty days' notice 
thereof in the parish journal, or in any paper regularly pub- 



8 

lished in the parish setting forth the time and place the elec, 
tion is to be held. The said board shall appoint one of its mem 
bers to conduct the election who shall hold open the polls an(i 
allow votes to be cast within the usual hours and in the usual 
manner of holding elections. If a majority of the votes cast are 
in favor of the sale of the timber, or the lease or sale of oil and 
mineral rights, the Parish Board of School Directors shall at 
once report the result of the election to the State Superintend- 
ent of Public Education and to the State Auditor of Public 
Accounts, and upon the order of the State Auditor the said board 
shall proceed to sell the timber or lease or sell the oil and min- 
eral rights, either or both, as the case may be, under the same 
formalities and requirements as provided for the lease of six- 
teenth section school lands hereinabove set forth. In all cases 
where a sale of timber or of oil and mineral rights is made under 
the provisions of this Act and deferred payments are allowed, the 
notes representing such deferred payments shall be made pay- 
able to the order of the Auditor of Public Accounts, and their 
punctual payment shall be secured by at least two good and solv- 
ent sureties who shall be liable ' ' in solido. ' ' 

In all cases of the lease of sixteenth section school lands, or 
of the sale of the timber thereon or of the lease or sale of oil and 
the mineral rights thereof, the cash payment after deducting suf- 
ficient amount to cover the actual expenses incurred by the said 
election and making the said sale or lease, shall be credited to 
the account of the current school fund of the parish where the 
sixteenth section school lands are located, and notes representing 
deferred payments shall be placed in the hands of the parish 
school treasurer for collection, and when collected also credited 
to the current school fund of said parish, to be used for general 
school purposes. 

In all cases where a sale of timber or the lease of or sale of 
the oil and mineral rights is made under the provisions of this 
Act, the purchaser thereof or his vendees, or the lessee, shall 
be allowed a period of not more than ten years in which to re-: 
move tlie timber or to utilize the oil and mineral rights. 



ACT No. 55. 
House Bill No. 117. 

AN ACT 

To amend and re-enact Section 53 of Act No. 133 of 1906, en- 
titled "An Act to amend and re-enact Sections 23, 49, 53 and 
59 of Act No. 214 of the General Assembly of the State of 
Louisiana, approved July 10th, 1902, entitled; "An Act in 
relation to free public schools, and to regulate public edu- 
cation in the State of Louisiana ; to provide a revenue for 
the same, and impose certain penalties; and to apply fines 
imposed by district courts and amounts collected on bonds, 
to the purpose of public education.' 



9 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
State of Louisiana, That Section 53 of Act 133 of 1906, amending 
and re-enacting Section 53, of Act 214 of 1902, be amended 
and re-enacted so as to read as follows: 

Section 53. Be it further enacted, etc., That to obtain a first 
grade certificate the applicant must be found competent to teach 
all branches required for a third grade and a second grade cer- 
tificate, and also higher algebra, natural philosophy, and geom- 
etry; provided, that graduates of all institutions of learning 
authorized to confer diplomas under the laws of this State, ap- 
plying in examinations for first grade certificates, and graduates 
of Leland University of New Orleans, New Orleans University 
and Straight University, be credited with having passed a satis- 
factory examination for said first grade teacher's certificate in 
such of the subjects required as, by the presidents of said institu- 
tions, may be certified to as having been completed in the course 
of study of the applicant, excepting theory and art of teaching 
as it applies to the subjects required for a first grade teacher's 
certificate, and to the general school practices. 



ACT No. 117. 
Senate Bill No. 34. 

AN ACT. 

An Act providing for the election or appointment of parish 
superintendents and their term of office. 

Section One : Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
State of Louisiana, That the several parish school boards 
throughout the State shall, in July after their election in 1912, 
meet and elect or appoint a superintendent of public schools 
for their parish, which superintendent shall have the qualifica- 
tions as provided by law and who shall hold his office for four 
years and until his successor shall have been elected or appointed 
and qualified. 

Section Two : Be it further enacted, etc.. That the several 
superintendents throughout the State now holding office shall 
hold their office until their 'successors shall have been appointed 
or elected as providd in Section One of this Act. 

Section Three: Be it further enacted, etc., That all laws 
or parts of laws in conflict with this Act be and the same are 
hereby repealed. 



ACT No. 119. 



Senate Bill No. 58. 

AN ACT 

Relative to Parish Teachers' Institutes and Associations; and 
regulating the manner of conducting said institutes and as- 
sociations in the several parishes ; and repealing all laws or 
parts of laws in conflict herewith. 



10 

Section 1. Be it enacted b}^ the General Asseinbl}" of the 
State of Louisiana : That it shall be the duty of every parish 
superintendent of education to conduct a teachers' institute or 
association on one Saturday of every month, or, in his discretion, 
on a Friday and Saturday of every alternate month, during the 
time the public schools are in session in his parish, in each insti- 
tute district. 

Section 2. Be it further enacted, etc., That the parish super- 
intendent shall notify all teachers of the time and place of 
the monthly or bi-monthly institute meetings, and it shall be 
the duty of all teachers in the parish to attend these meet- 
ings and to take such part in the exercises as the superintendent 
may indicate. Such teachers as shall fail to be present, or, being 
present, refuse to perform the part assigned them on the pro- 
gram by the superintendent at such institute meeting, sliall for- 
feit one day's salary for each absence, or one day's salary for 
each failure to perform the part assigned them on the program 
by the superintendent. The amount so forfeited shall be de- 
ducted from such teachers' next monthly warrant by the super- 
intendent and by him credited to the institute fund of the parish 
to be set aside and used exclusively for institute work in the said 
parish. 

Section 3. Be it farther enacted, etc.. That the school 
boards are hereby au^thorized and empowered to pay each teacher 
attending an institute or association meeting two dollars per day 
for each monthly meeting or bi-monthly meeting and three cents 
per mile each way to and from said meetings; provided that 
when the institute is held on regular school days tachers shall 
only receive their regular pay as teachers for such attendance. 

Section 4. Be it further enacted, etc.. That it shall be the 
duty of the State Institute Conductor to formulate the programs 
for teachers' institutes or association meetings, and it sliall be 
the duty of the Board of State Institute Managers to formulate 
the State Reading Course for teachers yearly, and it shall be 
the duty of the parish superintendent to consult the State Insti- 
tute Conductor relative to conducting teachers' institutes, and, 
when conducting teachers' institutes or associations, to follow 
the programs and the State Reading Course for teachers so pre- 
pared, as aforesaid. The parish superintendent shall forfeit five 
dollars for each institute or associati<}n he fails to (;ause to be 
held, or fails to conduct, as required by this Act, unl(\ss physic- 
ally unal)le to attend, or for other valid reasons appearing to 
the satisfaction of the School Board ; the said fine shall be col- 
lected by the School Board and credited to the institute fund, as 
l)rovided in Section 2 of this Act. The daily session of the teach- 
ers' institute or association shall be not less than five hours per 
day actual work. 

Section 5. Be it further enacted, etc., That tlie parish super- 
intendent, at the opening of the institute meeting, shall cause a 
roll of teachers to be prepared, which roll sliall be called at 
least twice during each daily session of the institute. He shall 



11 

ascertain the number of teachers in attendance and the length 
of time each attends, and he shall carefully note the names of 
all absentees, and to this end he shall keep a record and at the 
end of the school session he shall make an ar,nual report to the 
State Institute Conductor of the Institute work in his parish 
for the year upon blanks furnished him by the State Institute 
Conductor for said purpose. 

Section 6. Be it further enacted, etc., That the parish super- 
intendent shall, before the beginning of the regular public school 
term, appoint a competent teacher of his parish as institute man- 
ager for each district, if there be more than one institute district 
in his parish ; and such institute managers shall be paid three 
dollars per day as compensation for actual services in holding 
such institutes, or for assisting the superintendent while holding 
said teachers' institute. Provided, that when the teachers' insti- 
tute is held on a regular school day, the compensation of the 
institute managers shall be their regular salary and no more. 

Section 7. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the provisions 
of this Act shall not apply to the Parish of Orleans, but the 
School Board of said parish at its election may conduct such 
teachers' institutes provided for in this Act, in the same manner 
and with the same power and authority as hereinabove set forth. 

Section 8. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all laws and 
parts of Jaws in conflict herewith be and the same are hereby 
repealed. 



ACT NO. 158. 
House Bill No. 243. 

AN ACT 

To empower the school boards of the Parishes of the State to 
bring suits to recover for the State damages for Trespass 
on and timber cut from the Sixteenth Section known „s 
school lands, held by the State in trust and to authorize 
school boards to sue for and recover the Sixteenth Section, 
known as school lands, to provide for the employment of 
attorneys and the compensation of such attorneys; to pre- 
scribe the duties of attorneys thus employed; and to pro- 
vide for the disposition of moneys thus recovered. 
Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
State of Louisiana, That the several school boards of the various 
parishes of the State be and they are hereby authorized and em- 
powered to contract with and employ on the part of the State 
of Louisiana, attorneys at law. to recover for the State, dam- 
ages for trespass to the Sixteenth Section known as School Lands 
the title to which is still in the State, each of said Boards to have 
authority, to make said contracts for the lands situated in its 
own parish and no others; and the several school boards shall 
also have authority to sue for and recover the Sixteenth Section 
known as school lands. 



12 

Section 2. Be it further enacted, etc., That the attorney or 
attorneys thus employed shall work in conjunction with the Dis- 
trict Attorney for the Parish in which the land is situated ; that 
the compensation of the District Attorneys shall remain as now 
fixed by law; that the compensation of the other attorney or 
attorneys employed shall be fixed by contract between the re- 
spective School Boards and the attorney or attorneys employed, 
and shall in each case be a contingent fee, conditioned upon re- 
covery ; shall in each case be a fixed percentage of the amount re- 
covered, and shall in no case exceed twenty-five per centage of 
the amount recovered; provided that if more than one attorney 
is thus employed for the same cause, the same fee shall be paid 
to the whole number of attorneys, as if only one had been em- 
ployed. 

Section 3. Be it further enacted, etc.. That suit in all such 
cases shall be brought in the name of the State of Louisiana, and 
the attorneys employed as aforesaid, shall sue for the valut of 
all timber cut and removed from any such lands, as well as any 
and all other legal damages caused by any such trespass. 

Section 4. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the authority 
given by this Act shall apply to all Sixteenth Sections donateo 
by Congress to this State in Trust for public school purposes, 
and to which the State has never legally parted with the title; 
and the suits herein authorized may be brought against those 
who claimed the right to cut and remove, timber from any such 
lands, under color of title. 

Section 5. Be it further enacted, etc.. That each and every 
amount recovered for the State as herein provided shall, after 
deducting and paying the attorneys' fees as herein provided, 
and all other laAvful costs and charges, be paid into the State 
Treasury, to be kept on the books of the Auditor and Treas- 
urer, to the credit of the township in which the land is situated. 
in the same manner as now provided by law for the proceeds of 
the sale of such Sixteenth Sections. 

Section 6. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all laws or parts 
of law;^ in conflict with this Act be and the same are hereby 
repealed. 



ACT NO. 197. 
House Bill No. 326. 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Proposing an amendment to Article Two Hundred and Eighty- 
one (281) of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana, rel- 
ative to the issuance of bonds for work of public improve- 
riient by municipal corporations, parishes, and school, drain- 
age and sewerage districts, the City of New Orleans ex- 
cepted, and the assessment of special taxes to pay for same. 
Section 1. Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the 

State of Louisiana, two-thirds (2-3) of all the members elected 



13 

to each House concurring, That Article Two Hundred and 
Eighty-one (281) of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana 
be so amended as to read as follows: 

Article 281. Municipal Corporations, parishes or school, 
drainage, subdrainage, road, navigation, ''or sewerage districts, 
the City of New Orleans excepted, hereinafter referred to as 
subdivisions," when authorized to do so, by a vote of a majority 
in number and amount of the property taxpayers, qualified to 
vote under the Constitution and laws of this State, who vote at 
an election held for that purpose, after due notice of said elec- 
tion has been published for thirty (30) days in the official jour- 
nal of the municipal corporation or parishes, and where there is 
no official journal, in a newspaper published therein, may 
''through their respective governing authorities," incur debt 
and issue negotiable bonds therefor, and each year while any 
bonds issued to evidence said indebtedness are outstanding, the 
governing authorities of such subdivision shall levy^ and collect 
annually, in excess of all other taxes, a tax sufficient to pay the 
interest, annually or semi-annually, and the principal falling 
due each year, or such amount as may be required for any sink- 
ing fund provided for the payment of said bonds at maturity; 
provided, that such special taxes, for all purposes, shall not in 
any year exceed ten (10) mills on the dollar of the assessed 
valuation of the property in such subdivisions. 

No bonds shall be issued for any other purpose than that 
stated in the submission of the proposition to the taxpayer, and 
published for thirty (30) days as aforesaid, or for a greater 
amount than therein mentioned; nor shall such bonds be issued 
for any other purpose than for constructing, improving and 
maintaining public roads and highways, paving and improving 
streets, roads and alleys, purchasing or constructing systems of 
waterworks, sewerage, drainage, navigation, lights, public parks 
and buildings, together with all necessary equipments and fur- 
nishing, bridges and other works of public improvement, the 
title to which shall rest in the subdivision creatinsr the debt, as 
the case may be; nor shall such bonds run for a longer period 
than forty years (40) from their date or bear a greater rate of 
interest than five per cent (5) per annum, or be sold for less 
than par. The total issue of bonds by any subdivision for all 
purposes shall never exceed ten per centum (10) "of the as- 
sessed valuation of the property in such subdivisions. 

Municipal councils shall have authority to create within 
their respective limits one or more sewerage districts; and noth- 
ing herein contained shall prevent drainage districts from being 
established under the laws of this State shall, in addition to the 
powers hereinabove granted, have the further power and au- 
thority to le^^ and assess annual contributions or acreage taxes 
on all lands situated in such districts, for the purpose of pro- 
viding and maintaining drainage systems, not exceeding fifty 
(50) cents per acre for a period not exceeding forty (40) years, 
when authorized to do so by a majority in number and amount 



14 

of the property taxpaj^ers of said district, qualified to vote un- 
der the Constitution and laws of this State, who vote at an 
election held for that purpose and in the manner provided in 
the first part of this Article, and said drainage districts, through 
the Boards of Commissioners thereof, when authorized as here- 
inabove provided, "may incur debt and issue negotiable bonds 
therefor, payable in principal and interest out of and not to ox 
ceed in principal and interest, the aggregate amount to be 
raised by said annual contributions or acreage taxes during the 
period for which the same are levied. No such drainage bonds 
shall be issued for any other purpose than that for which said 
contributions or acreage taxes were voted or run for a longer 
period than forty (40) years from their date or bear a greater 
rate of interest than five (5) per cent per annum or be sold for 
less than par. 

When the character of any land is such that it must be 
levied and pumped in order to be drained and reclaimed, the 
Board of Drainage Commissioners of the district in which the 
land is situated, shall, upon the petition of not less than a ma- 
jority in acreage of the property taxpayers, resident and non- 
resident, in the area to be affected, ascertain the cost of drain- 
age and reclaiming said land and incur debt against said land 
for an amount sufficient to drain and reclaim it, and issue for 
said debt negotiable bonds running not longer than forty (40) 
years from their date and bearing interest at a rate not ex- 
ceeding five (5) per centum per annum, pjn'able annually or 
semi-annually, which bonds shall not be sold for less than par; 
and said Board of Drainage Commissioners shall levy annually 
upon said land forced contributions or acreage taxes in an 
amount sufficient to maintain the drainage of said land and to 
pay the interest, annually or semi-annually, and the principal 
falling due each year, or such amount as may be required for 
any sinking fund provided for the payment of said bonds at 
maturity; provided, that such forced contribution or acreage 
taxes, for all purposes shall never exceed Three Dollars and 
Fifty Cents ($3.50) per acre per annum. 

The poli(3e juries of the various parishes throughout the 
State, for the purpose of constructing highways and public 
buildinsrs for the parish, and the governing authorities of mu- 
nicipal corporations, for the purpose of paving or improving 
streets or alleys, or for other municipal improvements, after 
makinof provision for the payments of all statutory and nrdi- 
nary charges, may fund into bonds running for a period not ex- 
exceeding ten (10) years, and bearing interest at a rate not ex- 
ceedinQT five (5) per centum per annum, which bonds shall not 
be sold for less than par, the avails of the residue of the ten 
(10) mill tax authorized by Article 232 of the Constitution of 
Louisiana." 

Section 2. Be it further resolved, etc., That this proposed 
amendment shall be submitted to the qualified voters of this 
State for adoption or rejection at the congressional election to be 



15 

held in November, 1910 ; and if adopted, the same shall take ef- 
fect immediately thereafter. 

Section 3. Be it further resolved, etc., That on th'.i official 
ballots to be issued at said election there shall be placed the 
words, ''For the Proposed Amendment to Article Two Hun- 
dred and Eighty-one of the Constitution of Louisiana," and the 
words, 'Against the Proposed Amendment to Article Two 
Hundred and Eighty-one of the Constitution of Louisiana," and 
each elector shall indicate, as provided in the creneral eleetiuii 
laws of the State which of the propositions, "For or Against," 
he votes. 



ACT No. 223. 
House Bill No. 118. 

AN ACT 

To amend and re-enact Section 45 of Act 214 of 1902, entitled 
"An Act in relation to free public schools, and to regulate 
public education in the State of Louisiana; to provide a 
revenue for the same, and to impose certain penalties; and 
to apply fines imposed by District Courts, and amounts 
collected on fines to the purpose of public education." 
Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
State of Louisiana, That Section 45 of Act 214 of 1902. en- 
titled. An Act in relation to free public schools, and to regu- 
late public education in the State of Louisiana, to provide a 
revenue for the same, and to impose certain penalties; and to 
apply fines imposed by the District Courts and amounts collected 
on fines to the purpose of public education be amended and re- 
enacted so as to read as follows : 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Lou- 
isiana that the State Superintendent of Public Education, the 
President of tlie Louisiana State University and Agricultural 
and Mechanical College, the President of the Louisiana State 
Normal School, the President of the Louisiana Industrial Listi- 
tute at Ruston, and the President of Louisiana Southwestern In- 
dustrial Institute at Lafayette, and the Superintendent of Pub- 
lic Education of the Parish of Orleans shall be a Board of State 
Institute Managers and in their discretion shall select an ex- 
perienced institute conductor, who shall have general charge 
of the summer normal work, and whose services shall be paid 
for out of the institute funds in such manner as shall be agreed 
upon by the Board named in this Act, The institute conductor 
shall be secretary of the Board. 



ACT NO. 256. 
House Bill No. 249. 

AN ACT 

To define the subdivisions of the State; to prescribe the mode 
and manner of calling, holding and promulgating the re- 
sult of elections therein for the purpose of IcA'ying a special 



16 



tax or forced contribution or issuing bonds; to provid>-' 
for the manner of levying and collecting such tax and issu- 
ing bonds ; to provide the manner of the payment of the in- 
terest and principal of such bonds; to fix the limit in which 
elections may be contested; to make this xVct applicable to 
levee districts in certain cases; to provide a penalty for the 
violation of this Act; and to repeal any provisions of mu- 
nicipal charterss; and all laws in conflict with this Act, and 
all laws on the same subject, and exempting the City of New 
Orleans and Parish of Orleans from the operation of this 
Act. 

Section 1. Be it enacted, by the General Assembly of the 
State of Louisiana, That parishes, wards, cities, towns, villages, 
school districts, road districts, drainage districts and sub-drain- 
age districts are declared to be political subdivisions of the State, 
and special taxes may be levied and debt incurred and negotiable 
bonds issued therefor as hereinafter provided, except that the 
Parish of Orleans and the City of New Orleans are exempted "♦"'rom 
the provisions of this Act. 'The governing authority of subdivi- 
sions herein defined shall be for parishes, wards and road dis- 
tricts within such parish, the Police Jury of the Parish; for 
cities, towns and villages, the municipal boards thereof; for 
drainage and subdrainage districts, the drainage commissioners 
of the drainage district ; for school districts, the school board of 
the Parish in which they are located, and when a school dis- 
trict is composed of lands of more than one Parish, then the 
school board of the Parish which furnishes the territory in said 
school district carrying the highest assessment." 

Section 2. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the Police Jury 
of any parish acting for the parish, a ward or road district 
therein and the governing authorities of any other subdivision as 
herein defined shall have authority to call a special election for 
the purpose of submitting to the property taxpayers who are au- 
thorized to vote at such election under the Constitution and laws 
of the State of Louisiana, a proposition to levA^ a special tax not 
to exceed the limit that is now or may hereafter be fixed by the 
Constitution of Louisiana for the purpose of given additional 
aid to public schools constructing or purchasing any work of 
public improvement in keeping with the objects and purposes 
for which the subdivision was created, and the title to which 
shall vest in the public or in the subdivision in which such tax 
is levied ; and at the same election, similarly called and held, a 
proposition may be submitted to the property tax payers as to 
whether or not they will incur debt and issue negotiable bonds 
therefor not to exceed ten (10%) per centum of the assessed 
value of the property of the subdivision calling said election, to 
be issued for the purpose of purchasing or constructing works 
of public improvement in keeping with the objects and pur- 
poses for which the subdivision was created, and the title to 
which shall vest in the public or subdivision levying the tax. 



17 

That such governing authority shall be required to call an elec- 
tion for either of the purposes above mentioned when requested 
to do so by the petition in writing of one-fourth of the property 
taxpayers eligible to vote in said election. 

Section 3. Be it further enacted, etc., That in the resolution 
calling the election, the rate, object and purpose for which the 
tax is to be levied and the number of years it is to run, must 
be stated. If the proposition is to incur debt and issue nego- 
tiable bonds therefor, the object for which the debt is to be in- 
curred, the number of years it is to run and the rate of interest 
to be paid on same, shall be stated in the proposition submitted 
to the property taxpayers. After such resolution is passed, a 
notice of said election shall be given, embracing substantially all 
things that are required to be set forth in the resolution, and 
shall set forth further that the authorities ordering the election 
will, in open session to be held at an hour and place named in 
such notice, proceed to open the ballot boxes, examine and count 
the ballots in number and amount examine and canvass the re- 
turns, and declare the result of the election. Such notice shall 
be advertised for thirty days in a weekly newspaper published 
in the subdivision or parish in which the tax is proposed to be 
levied, and if there is no newspaper published in the parish, by 
posting in three public places in the subdivision ordering the 
election. Four weeks' publication in a newspaper shall consti- 
tute a publication for thirty days, provided thirty days inter- 
vene from the date on which the publication is first inserted and 
the day on which the election takes place. 

Section 4. Be it further enacted, etc., That the property tax- 
payers, qualified as electors under the Constitution and laws of 
this State, shall be entitled to vote at such elections, the quali- 
fications of such taxpayers as voters to be those of age, residence 
and registration as voters; provided that resident women tax- 
payers shall have the right to vote at all such elections without 
registration, in person or by their agents authorized in writ- 
ing which written authorization shall be attached to such agent's 
ballots, respectively; provided that, whenever the limit and 
boundaries of any municipal corporation have been extended 
under the laws of this State, and the assessment roll that is to 
include the propertv in the extended limits has not already 
been made for said municipal corporations, those who have be- 
come property taxpayers of said municipal corporation by the 
extension of its limits and who are qualified under the Consti- 
tution and laws of this State to vote, shall be permitted to vote 
under this Act, and that the assessment of the property within 
such municipal corporation as extended shall, for the purpose of 
ascertaining the assessed valuation of property herein and for 
the purpose, of any election under this Act, be taken from 
the last assessment roll of the parish. 

Section 5. Be it further enacted, etc., That such elecf-ions 
shall be conducted under the supervision mid at the expense of 
the subdivision ordering the same, the £overning authority of 



18 

which shall appoint for each polliEg place three commissioners 
and one clerk of election (all of whom shall be registered voters) 
designate the polling places, provide the ballot boxes, ballots, 
the necessary blanks for tally sheets, lists of voters, valnations of 
property and compiled statement of the voters in number and 
amount, and fix the compensation of such election officers. 

Section 6. Be it further enacted, etc.. That it shall be the duty 
of the registrar of voters to furnish the commissioners appointed 
to hold such elections with the lists of taxpayers entitled to vote 
in person or by proxy at such elections, together with the val- 
uation of each taxpayer's property as shown by the assessment 
roll last made and filed prior to each election; provided that, 
when any taxpayer's name and valuation of property shall be 
omitted from such list or erroneously entered thereon the com- 
missioners of election shall have authority to receive affidavits 
of such taxpayer's right to vote and of the proper assessed valu- 
ation of his property, which affidavit shall be attached to such 
taxpayer's ballot. 

Section 7. Be it further enacted, etc.. That, when ever the 
vote of any taxpayer shall be challenged, the commissioners of 
election shall receive in writing the grounds of challenge, signed 
by the person or persons challenging such vote, together with 
the challenged taxpayer's statement of his asserted right to 
vote, and attach such challenge and statement to his ballot. 

Section 8. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the ballots pro- 
vided for any election held under the provisions of this Act shall 
be of such form as to enable, the voters to vote in favor or against 
the proposition submitted, and that when more than one proposi- 
tion shall be submitted at the same time, they shall be so sub- 
mitted as to enable one voter to vote on each proposition sepa- 
rately. The ballots to be used at such election shall be in the 
following form : 

FOR THE LEVYING OF A TAX. 



Proposition to levy a 

mill (Rate) 

tax on all the property subject to State taxation in 

for the period 

(Subdivision) 

of for the purpose of 

(Term) 
(Here State the purpose of the tax) 
Taxable valuation $ 



(Signature of Voter) 



Yes 



No 



NOTICE TO VOTERS : To vote in favor of the proposi- 
tion submitted upon this ballot place a cross (X) mark in the 
square after the word "Yes;'' to vote against it place a similar 
mark after the word ''No." 



19 



FOR THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS. 



Proposition to incur debt and issue bonds of 

to the amount of 

(Subdivision) 
(Amount) 

to run years, bear- 

(Term) 

ing interest at the rate of 

(Rate) 

pen centum per annum, payable for the 

(Annually or semi-annually) for the purpose of 
(Here state the purpose of debt.) 



Taxable valuation $ 



Signature of Voter. 



NOTICE TO VOTERS: To vote in favor of the proposi- 
tion submitted upon this ballot place a cross (X) mark in the 
square after the word ''Yes;" to vote against it place a similar 
mark after the word ' ' No. ' ' 

Section 9. Be it further enacted, etc.. That whenever any 
commissioner or clerk of election, appointed as provided in Sec- 
tion five of this Act shall be unable, fail, or neglect to attend or 
serve at the polling place designated at the hour fixed for the 
opening of the polls, or within one hour thereafter, the commis- 
sioner or commissioners present shall appoint, or in the absence 
of all the commissioners the voters present shall elect the neces- 
sary number of commissioners and clerks, who shall have the 
same powers, compensation and duties as other commissioners 
and clerks, to serve in the place and stead of such absent or de- 
linquent appointees. 

Section 10. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the commis- 
sioners and clerks of such elections, before opening the polls, 
shall be sworn to perform all the duties incumbent en them as 
such, the oath to be taken before any oiBcer athorized to ad- 
minister oaths, or by the Clerk and each commissioner before 
any other commissioner, such commissioners of election being 
authorized to administer any oath and to receive any affidavit 
provided for in this Act. 

Section 11. Be it further enacted, etc., That each Voter's 
name shall be endorsed by his ballot; provided that ballots voted 
by proxy shall have endorsed thereon the names of both of the 
taxpayer and of her proxy. 

Section 12. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the commiasion- 
f^rs of election shall receive the ballot of each voter, check his 
name, or that of his principal, on the list of voters furnished by 
the registrar as having voted, enter and number his name, or 
that of his principal, on the list of taxpayers voting, and im- 
mediately deposit his ballot in the ballot box, reserving to each 



20 

voter the right to so fold his ballot that it shall not be known 
at the time of his voting whether he has voted in favor of or 
against the proposition or propositions submitted. 

Section 13. Be it further enaoted, etc., That the polls of elec- 
tion ordered and held under the provisions of this shall, on the 
day appointed for any such election, open at seven o'clock a. m. 
and remain open until and not later than five o'clock p. m. ; 
provided that no election shall be vitiated by a failure to open 
the polls at the time prescribed or by closing the same before 
the time prescribed, unless, on a contest, it be proven that voters 
were thereby deprived of their votes sufficient in number and 
amount to have changed the result of such election. 

Section 14. Be it further enacted, etc.. That immediately 
after the closing of the polls, the commissioners shall, in the 
presence of the bystanders proceed to open the ballot boxes, 
count the ballots found in the box and check same with the list 
of voters kept, then proceed to count the votes in number and 
amotint, keep in duplicate tally sheets showing the votes in 
number in favor of and against the proposition or propositions 
submitted and showing valuation of property in favor of and 
against same, make* in duplicate compiled statements of the vote 
in number and amount, both in favor of and against such prop- 
osition or propositions; that after swearing to the correctness 
of the numbered list of voters, the duplicate tally sheets and 
duplicate compiled statements, they shall deposit the ballots, 
the registrar's list of voters, the numbered list of taxpayers 
voting, one duplicate tallj^ sheet and one duplicate compiled 
statement, in the ballot box, immediately seal up said ballot 
box and, within forty-eight hours after the closing of the polls, 
deliver said sealed ballot boxes with their contents to the author- 
ities ordering such election and shall within the same delay de- 
liver the other duplicate tally sheet and the other duplicate com- 
piled statement to the Clerk of the District Court of the parish 
in which such election has been held, who shall file the same 
in his office. 

If the election commissioners on counting the ballots find 
that they do not correspond with the list of voters, they shall 
before counting the ballots, examine same for the purpose of 
finding the discrepancy; and if it should be found that any bal- 
lots have been duplicated the same shall bo destroyed, or if it is 
found that the name of the voter has boon omitted from the list 
•of persons voting, same shall be added to said list. 

Section 15. Be it further enacted, etc., That on the day 
and at the hour and place named in the notice ordering such 
election, the authorities under whose orders such election has 
been held, shall, in public session, proceed to open the ballot 
boxes, examine and count the ballots in number and amount, ex- 
amine and canvass the returns and declare the results of such 
election, which result they shall thereafter promulgate by pub- 
lication in one issue of the official journal, or other newspaper 
of the parish, where there is no official journal or by posting 



21 

where no newspaper is published. The authority ordering the 
election shall keep a process verbal of the manner in which 
the ballot boxes have been opened, the returns canvassed and 
the result of the election ascertained and shall forward a copy 
of said process verbal to the Secretary of State, who shall record 
the same, another copy to the Clerk of the District Court who 
shall also record said copy in the mortgage records of the par- 
ish, and the remaining copy shall be retained in the archives of 
the office of the authority ordering the election. 

Section 16. Be it further enacted, etc.. That the custodian 
of the archives or records of the authority ordering such elec- 
tion shall preserve, for the term of three months from the date 
of promulgation of such election, the ballots and other returns 
thereof. 

Section 17 Be it further enacted, etc., That, for a pi^riod 
of sixty days from the date of the promulgation of the result of 
any such election, any person in interest shall have the right to 
contest the legality of such election for any cause; after which 
time no one shall have any cause of action to contest the regu- 
larity, formality, or legality of said election for any cause what- 
ever. If the validity of any election held under the provisions 
of this Act is not raised within the sixty days herein prescribed, 
then no governing authority of any subdivision herein named, 
required to levy a tax or issue bonds as authorized at an elec- 
tion or under this Act, shall be permitted to refuse to perform 
that duty and urge as an excuse or reason therefor, that some 
provision of the Constitution or law of Louisiana has not been 
complied with, but it shall be conclusively presumed that every 
legal requirement has been complied with, and no court shall 
have authority to inquire into such matters after the lapse of 
sixty days as herein provided. 

Section 18. Be it further enacted, etc., That any proposi- 
tion submitted by the governing authority of any subdivision 
as herein authorized either for the purpose of levying a tax, 
incurring a debt, or issuing bonds, must be voted for by a ma- 
jority in number and amount of the property taxpayers, quali- 
fied as electors under the Constitution and laws of this State, 
voting at an election held for that purpose as herein provided, 
before any such tax shall be levied, or before any debt shall be 
incurred or bonds issued. 

Section 19. Be it further enacted, etc., That in the event 
that any election ordered and held as aforesaid shall result in 
xavor of the proposition to levy and assess special taxes upon 
the property subject to taxation in the Subdivision, the Police 
Jury for the Parish, Ward or Road District and the Governing 
Authority of any other Subdivision named herein shall, after the 
promulgation of the result of such election and pursuant to the 
terms of the proposition submitted lew and assess the said spe- 
cial taxes on such property ; .provided that Ine total rate of taxa- 
tion so imposed shall not exceed the Constitutional limit, nor 
shall such tax run for a greater number of years than the num- 



22 

ber named in the proposition submitted, nor be imposed for any- 
other purpose than that named in such proposition. 

Section 20. Be it further enacted, etc., That in the event 
that any election ordered and held for the purpose of incurring 
debt and issuing negotiable bonds therefor shall result in favor 
of the proposition, the Police Juries for their respective Par- 
ishes, Wards or Road Districts and the governing authorities 
of ail other Subdivisions shall, after the promulgation of the 
result of such election and pursuant to the terms of the prop- 
osition submitted, by resolution incur the debt and issue nego- 
tiable bonds therefor, to be signed by the President or Chair- 
man and Secretary of the authority issuing the bonds, provided 
the bonds shall be issued for no other purpose than that stated 
in the submission of the proposition to the property tax pay- 
ers, nor for a greater amount than therein mentioned, nor for 
any other purpose than the purpose set forth in the proposition 
submitted to the property taxpayers and as authorized by the 
Constitution of the State, nor run for a longer time than that 
named in the proposition not exceeding forty years nor bear a 
greater rate of interest than five (5) per centum per annum, 
payable annually, nor issued for a greater amount than ten per 
centum of the assessed value of the subdivision, including any 
prior bond issue nor be sold b}^ the authorities issuing same for 
less than par. 

Section 21. Be it further enacted, etc.. That in all cases 
where an acreage tax or forced contribution is to be imposed 
after being authorized by any election, said election shall be 
called, held and the result promulgated in the same manner as 
is herein prescribed for the holding of elections for the purpose 
of levying an Ad Valorem tax, or incurring debt and issuing 
bonds. 

Section 22. Be it further enacted, etc.. That whenever the 
governing authority of any subdivision is authorized by an elec- 
tion or by law to incur debt and issue negotiable bonds based 
upon an acreage tax, it shall be the duty of such governing au- 
thority to issue bonds to the amount authorized by such election 
or by law and to impose such acreage tax annually as shall be 
authorized by the election or by law to an amount sufficient to 
pay the annual interest on such bonds and the principal as it 
matures. 

Section 23. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all the articles 
and provisions of the Constitution of 1898 and all the laws in 
force or that may be liereafter enacted regulating and relating 
to the collection of State taxes and tax sales shall also apply 
to and regulate the collection of the special taxes or forced con- 
tribution, imposed under the provisions of this Act, through the 
officer whose duty it shall be to collect the taxes and moneys due 
the municipal corporation, parish, or drainage district, impos- 
ing such special taxes, or forced contributions. 

Section 24. Be it further enacted, etc., That the proceeds of 
the sale of all bonds issued under the provisions of this Act 



23 

shall constitute a trust fund, to be used exclusively for the pur- 
pose or purposes for which said bonds are authorized to be is- 
sued. That any income derived from the particular improve- 
ment purchased or constructed, when so set aside by resolution 
of the governing body of the subdivision, shall, after the ex- 
pense and cost of maintenance of said improvements are paid, 
constitute a trust fund to be devoted to the payment of the in- 
terest on the indebtedness so contracted, and any surplus, after 
the payment of such interest, shall be placed in the sinking fund 
to be used in the extinguishment of the principal of said obliga- 
tion or bonds at maturity. 

Section 25. Be it further enacted, etc., That the proceeds of 
any special tax which have been voted for a particular purpose 
as authorized by the Constitution and the provisions of this Ael 
shall constitute a trust fund to be used exclusively for the ob- 
jects and purposes for which the tax was levied and shall from 
year to year as collected be kept separate and used for no other 
purpose than the purpose for which the said tax was voted. 

Section 26. Be it further enacted, etc.. That if the bonds 
to be issued are to be paid out of funds realized from a tax, 
an acreage tax or forced contribution which tax, acreage tax or 
forced contribution is limited and a fixed amount required to 
be collected each year, then the governing authority issuing the 
bonds and levying the acreage tax, shall, beginning at a yearly 
period before the maturity of such debt or bonds, which period 
shall never be less than one-fourth of the whole term for which 
said debt is incurred, or said bonds are issued, set aside annually, 
from said trust fund derived from said tax acreage tax or forced 
contribution, a sinking fund for the payment of the principal of 
said debt or said bonds, at least one fraction of the principal 
of said debt or of said bonds, said fraction to be ascertained 
by dividing the principal of said, debt or of said bonds by the 
remaining number of whole years before the maturity of said 
debt or bonds ; and that the sinking fund thus set aside shall be 
sacredly applied to the payment of such debt and such bonds. 
The time from- the commencement of the provision of a sinking 
fund as herein required, until the maturity of the said debt or of 
said bonds to be known as the redemption period. 

Section 27. Be it further enacted, etc., That the governing 
authority of a Subdivision incurring debt and issuing bonds as 
herein contemplated, shall annually, at the same time that other 
taxes are levied, or at any other time, in addition to all other 
taxes now authorized by the Constitution and laws of the State 
cf Louisiana, and in addition to any special tax that may be 
levied at any election called and held for that purpose, levy a 
tax sufficient to pay the interest and principal on said bonds 
becoming due the ensuing year. When a period is fixed at which 
such bonds shall begin to mature, the total amount of indebted- 
ness shall be divided among the number of years in which pay- 
ments are to be made and the principal to be paid each year, fixed 



24 

at such amount that when the total annual interest is added 
thereto the amount to be paid each year shall be as nearly equal 
and uniform as possible. Such tax may be levied and extended 
upon the assessment roll at any time prior to the final collection 
of the taxes for that particular year. If the authority herein 
authorized to levy and assess such tax should fail, neglect or 
refuse to do so before the completion of the assessment rolls, 
the Auditor of Public Accounts shall be authorized and it shall 
be his duty to name the rate of such tax and order same extended 
upon the assessment rolls and collected. 

Section 28. Be it further enacted, etc., That when ever a 
debt has been authorized to be incurred, the governing authority 
issuing bonds to evidence such debt shall fix a time certain at 
which the bonds shall begin to mature, which shall not be longer 
than five years from the date of said bonds. After fixing such 
date, then the governing authorities shall fix the denomination 
of the bonds due each year thereafter for an amount that when 
the annual interest is added thereto the total amount to be paid, 
including principal and interest, each year shall be as nearly 
equal as practicable. 

Section 29. Be it further enacted, etc.. That if the bonds 
authorized to be issued are to be paid in principal and interest 
by the annual levying of an acreage tax or forced contribution 
for an amount to pay the interest and principal of such bonds, 
then the governing authority creating the debt and issuing the 
bonds shall fix a time, which shall not be longer than five years 
from the date of the bonds for the beginning of the maturity 
of such bonds, and such governing authority shall assess and 
collect such acreage tax or forced contribution as shall be neces- 
sary to pay the annual interest due upon the bonds and maintain 
the works or drainage of the Subdivision issuing the bonds until 
said bonds begin to mature, after which time a sufficient acreage 
tax or forced contribution shall be levied and collected each 
year as will maintain the works or drainage system and pay the 
annual interest due on all the outstanding bonds and the prin- 
cipal of the bond or bonds next due. That in fixing the amount 
due each year, the governing authority issuing the bonds shall 
issue same for such denominations as when the annual interest 
is added thereto, shall make the payments each j^ear as nearly 
equal and uniform as practicable. 

Section 30. Be it further enacted, etc., That when any elec- 
tion is held by the authority of any Levee Board of this State 
for the purpose of voting a tax or forced contribution and there 
is no special law governing such election, then same shall be 
held under the provisions of this Act as far as practicable. 

Section 31. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all bonds issued 
by any of the subdivisions of the State as herein defined, shall, 
after the time has elapsed in which the validity of such bonds 
can be contested, to-wit, sixty days from the date of the pro- 
mulgation of the result of the election, incurring the debt and 



25 

ordering the issuing of such bonds, be registered by the Secre- 
tary^ of State and shall have endorsed thereon the words: "This 

bond secured by a tax. Registered on this the day of 

, 19 — , " and signed by the Secretary of State 

with the Great Seal of Louisiana affixed. 

Section 32. Be it further enacted, etc., That the Commission- 
ers and Clerks of elections held under the provisions of this 
Act shall have the same powers and duties in conducting said 
elections and in preserving order at the polls, as are conferred 
and imposed upon such officers under the general election laws 
of this State: and that whatever is declared in the general elec- 
tion laws to be a felony, other crime, or misdemeanor, shall be 
such for any election held under the provisions of this Act, 
and shall be punished in the same manner; that any wilful 
failure or neglect to comply with the reqtiirements of this Act 
or any wilful violation of same, by any officer, agent, or employee, 
of any subdivision herein defined, availing itself of the pro- 
visions of this Act, shall be a crime and shall be punished by 
a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than five 
hundred dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding one 3^ear, 
with or without hard labor or by both such fine or imprison- 
ment, at the discretion of the court. 

Section 33. Be it further enacted, etc.. That nothing in this 
Act shall be held or construed to invalidate, or render illegal the 
acts, proceedings, elections, taxes, debts, bonds, ordinances, reso- 
lutions, bids, agreements, contracts or obligations, done, had, 
held, levied authorized to be levied, incurred, authorized to be 
incurred, issued, authorized to be issued, adopted, accepted, or 
entered into, pursuant to any article of the Constitution, by any 
subdivision herein named (the City of New Orleans excepted) 
prior to the passage of this Act; that any provision in the 
charter of any municipal corporation of this State (the City of 
New Orleans excepted) in conflict with the provisions of this 
Act for the immediate submission of the proposition herein 
specified to the property tax payers of said corporation in aii 
election ordered by same under this Act and for the immediate 
levy of said tax when duly authorized, be and the same, insofar 
as it is in conflict therewith, is hereby repealed. 

Section 34. Be it further enacted, etc.. That Sections 27, 
28 and 29 of this Act shall not go into effect unless and until 
the proposed amendment to Art. 281 of the Constitution be 
submitted to the qualified electors for their approval or rejection 
at the Congressional election to be held on Tuesday next follow- 
ing the 1 Monday in November, 1910, and they shall have ratified 
the same. 

Section 35. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all laws con- 
trary to or inconsistent with this Act and all laws on the same 
subject matter thereof be and the same are hereby repealed. 



26 

ACT NO. 257. 
House Bill No. 160. 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of 
Louisiana, relative to the levying of a tax of not less than 
three mills on the dollar by parishes, cities, or towns, for 
the support of the public schools of the State. 

Section 1. Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the 
State of Louisiana, two-thirds of all the members elected to 
each House concurring. That the police juries of the several 
parishes and boards of trustees and municipal councils of in- 
corporated cities and towns (the Parish of Orleans excepted) 
shall levy, collect and turn over to the parish school boards of 
their respective parisTies for the support of the public schools 
of their respective parishes, cities or towns, the proceeds of at 
least three mills of the annual tax which they are empowered 
to levy on each dollar of the assessed valuation of the property 
thereof ; provided that cities and towns that are not exempted 
by the terms of their charters from the payment of parish taxes 
and which are subjected to the similar burdens of taxation as 
are the parishes shall not pay this tax, as same is included 
in the taxes imposed by the parish in which the town is situated, 
''unless the parish boards of school directors of that parish cer- 
tify that the needs of the schools can be met by a smaller levy of 
such taxes." 

Section 2. Be it further resolved, etc.. That at the con- 
gressional election to be held in this State on the first Tuesday 
following the first IMonday in November, 1910. the foregoing 
amendment to the Constitution of this State shall be submitted 
to the electors of the State ; that on the official ballot to be used 
at said election shall be placed the words: ''For the three mills 
school tax," and the words: "Against the three mills school 
tax," and every elector shall indicate his vote on the proposed 
amendment as provided by the general election laws of this State. 



ACT No. 272 
House Bill No. 390. 

AN ACT 

To amend and re-enact Section 11, of Act No. 214 of the Gen- 
eral Assembly of 1902, relating to the establishment of high 
and graded schools and to the assessment upon parents and 
guardians for incidental expenses of the public schools. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
State of Louisiana, That Section 11, of Act No. 214 of the Gen- 
eral Assembly of .1902 be amended so as to read as follows : 

Section 11. The Parish School Boards, the Parish of Orleans 
excepted, shall have authority to establish graded schools, and 



27 

to adopt such a system in that connection as may be necessary to 
assure their success. Central or high schools may be estab- 
lished when necessary, but no such school shall be established 
unless the amount be donated for the site, and suitable buildings 
are provided for without any expense out of the school fund. 
The School Board shall have authority to assess and collect fifty 
cents per annum from the parent or guardian of each child en- 
rolled in the public schools of a Parish or District, to be collected 
in such manner as the said Board shall determine ; provided that 
no parent or guardian shall be required to pa^^ more than one 
dollar and fifty cents. The amount thus collected shall be used 
in providing for the necessary fuel and other comforts of the 
schools. 

Section 2. Be it further enacted, etc.. That all laws or parts 
of laws conflicting with the provisions of this Act be and the 
same are hereby repealed. 



ACT No. 298. 
House Bill No. 308. 

AN ACT 

To amend and re-enact Section 53 of Act No. 133 of 1906, 
entitled, ''An Act to amend and re-enact Sections 23, 49, 53, 
and 59, of Act No. 214 of the General Assembly of the 
State of Louisiana, approved July 10th, 1902, entitled, "An 
Act in relation to free public schools, and to regulate public 
education in the State of Louisiana ; to provide a revenue for 
the same, and impose certain penalties; and to apply fines 
imposed by District Courts and amounts collected on bonds, 
to the purpose of public education. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
State of Louisiana, That Section 53 of Act 133 of 1906, amend- 
ing and re-enacting Section 53 of Act 214 of 1902, be amended 
and re-enacted so as to read as follows: 

Section 53. Be it further enacted, etc., That to obtain a 
first grade certificate the applicant must be found competent 
to teach all branches required for a third grade and a second 
grade certificate, and also higher Algebra, Natural Philosophy, 
Geometry; provided that graduates of all institutions of learn- 
ing authorized to confer diplomas under the laws of this State, 
applying in exainination for first grade certificates, and grad- 
uates of Louisiana College, Pineville, La., be credited with having 
passed a satisfactory examination for said first grade teacher's 
certificate in such of the subjects required as by the President 
of said institution, may be certified to as having been completed 
in the course of study of the applicant, excepting Theory and 
Art of Teaching as it applies to the subjects required for a first 
grade teacher's certificate and to general school practices. 



28 

ACT No. 306. 
House Bill No. 236. 

AN ACT 

Requiring that agriculture or horticulture, including home 
economics, shall be taught in all the elementary and sec- 
ondary schools of the State of Louisiana. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
State of Louisiana, That, in addition to the branches in which 
instruction is now given in the public schools of the State of 
Louisiana, instruction shall also be given in all the elementary 
and secondary schools of the State in the principles of agri- 
culture or horticulture and in home and farm economy. 

Section 2. Be it further enacted, etc., That all laws or parts 
of laws in conflict with the provisions of this Act be and the 
same are hereby repealed. 



Note. — A law was passed making it the duty of the Super- 
visor of Public Accounts to audit, at least once a year, the ac- 
counts of the parish superintendents. This work mil be done 
without expense to the parish boards. The Supervisor has full 
authority to require that the superintendents keep their ac- 
counts in accordance with plans that the Supervisor may lay 
down. 



APPROPRIATIONS. 

For support of the free public schools, or so much 
thereof, or any excess thereof, as may be collected 
from State taxes levied for that purpose, from in- 
heritance' taxes, or donated to the school fund, for 
the year ending June 30th, 1911, Nine Hundred 
Thousand Dollars $900,000.00 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Nine Hundred 

Thousand dollars .^ 900,000.00 

(1 13-20 mills of the assessment is the part of the 
State tax appropriated for the public schools.) 

For Agricultural Departments that maintain tlie re- 
quired standard, to be expended under conditions 
defined by the State Board of Education, for the 
year ending June 30th, 1911, Twenty-five Thou- 
sand dollars s . . . . 25,000.00 

For the vear ending June 30th, 1912, Twenty-five 

Thousand Dollars 25,000.00 

For High Schools that maintain the required stand- 
ard, to be expended under conditions defined by the 
State Board of Education, for the year ending 
June 30th, 1911, Fifty Thousand Dollars 50,000.00 



29 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Fifty Thou- 
sand Dollars 50,000.00 

(Teachers' Institutes.) 

For holding Teachers' Institutes throughout the 
State, for the year ending June 30th, 1911, Fifteen 
Thousand Dollars 15,000.00 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Fifteen Thou- 
sand Dollars 15,000.00 

OUT OF THE INTEREST T4X FUND. 

For payment of interest on the Free School Fund, 
Article 257 of the Constitution, for the year 1910, 
out of the revenues of 1910, Forty-five Thousand 
Two Hundred and Thirty-four Dollars and Sev- 
enty Cents 45,234.70 

For the year 1911, out of the revenues of 1911, 
Forty-five Thousand Two Hundred and Thirty- 
four Dollars and Seventy Cents ' 45,234.70 

For payment of interest on the Seminary Fund, 
Article 258 of the Constitution, for the year end- 
ing June 30th, 1911, Five Thousand Four Hun- 
dred and Forty Dollars 5,440.00 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Five Thousand 

Four Hundred and Forty Dollars 5,440.00 

For payment of interest on funds due the Agricultu- 
ral and Mechanical College, Article 259 of the Con- 
stitution, for the year ending June 30th, 1911, Nine 
Thousand One Hundred and Fifteen Dollars and 
Sixty-nine Cents 9,115.69 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Nine Thousand 
One Hundred and Fifteen Dollars and Sixty-nine 
Cents 9,115.69 

STATE INSTITUTIONS. 

Louisiana State University. 

For support of the Louisiana State University and 
Agricultural and Mechanical College; for equip- 
ment and maintenance of its library, laboratories 
and shops; for insurance on buildings and con- 
tents; and for repairs, improvements and addi- 
tions, for the year ending June 30th, 1911, One 
Hundred Thousand Dollars 100,000.00 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, One Hundre"! 

Thousand Dollars 100,000.00 

State Normal School. 
For support, maintenance, additions to buildings, 
repairs, equipment, insurance, etc., for the year 
ending June 30th, 1911, Sixty-seven Thousand 
Five Hundred Dollars 67,500.00 



30 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Sixty-seven 

Thousand Five Hundred Dollars 67,500.00 

For purchase of land, out of the revenues of 1911, Ten 

Thousand Five Hundred and Ninety-five Dollars. 10,595.00 

Out of the revenues of 1912, for new buildings. Fifty 

Thousand Dollars 50,000.00 

Louisiana Industrial Institute. 

For support, maintenance, erection of new buildings, 
repairs, equipment, insurance, etc., for the year 
ending June 30th, 1911, Sixty Thousand Dollars. . 60,000.00 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Sixty Thou- 
sand Dollars 60,000.00 

Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute. 

For support, maintenance, equipment, etc., for the 
vear endins: June 30th, 1911, Twenty-five Thousand 
Dollars. . .7 \ 25,000.00 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Twenty-five 

Thousand Dollars 25,000.00 

For insurance on buildings and contents (three years' 
policy) out of the revenues of 1911, One Thousand 
Five"Hundred Dollars 1,500.00 

For repairs for the year ending June 30th, 1911, One 

Thousand Dollars 1,000.00 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, One Thousand 

Dollars 1,000.00 

Southern University. 

For support of the Southern University for the edu- 
cation of persons of color, including insurance, for 
the year ending June 30th, 1911, Ten Thousand 
Dollars 10,000.00 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Ten Thousand 

Dollars 10,000.00 

For repairs and improvements. Southern University 
farm, for the year ending June 30th, 1911, Seven 
Hundred and Fifty Dollars 750.00 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Seven Hundred 

and Fifty Dollars 750.00 

State Reform School. 

For support, maintenance, improvements and other 
expenses of State Reform School, for the year end- 
ing June 30th, 1911, Ten Thousand Dollars 10,000.00 

For the vear ending June 30th, 1912, Ten Thousand 

Dollars 10,000.00 

Louisiana Institute for the Blind. 

For support of the Louisiana Institute for the Blind, 
for the year ending June 30th, 1911, Twelve Thou- 
sand Five Hundred Dollars 12,500.00 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Twelve Thou- 
sand Five Hundred Dollars 12,500.00 



31 

For general repairs, Institute for the Blind, for the 
year ending June 30th, 1911, Five Hundred Dol- 
lars 500.00 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Five Hundred 

Dollars 500.00 

For insurance on buildings and contents. Institute for 
the Blind (three years' policy) out of the reve- 
nues of 1911, Seven Hundred Dollars 700.00 

For library, for the year ending June 30th, 1911, Two 

Hundred and Fifty Dollars 250.00 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Two Hundred 

and Fifty Dollars ' 250.00 

Louisiana School for the Deaf. 

For support of the Louisiana School for the Deaf, for 
the year ending June 30th, 1911, Twenty-five Thou- 
sand Dollars ." 25,000.00 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Twenty-five 

Thousand Dollars 25,000.00 

For general repairs, Louisiana School for the Deaf, 
for the year ending June 30th, 1911, Five Hun- 
dred Dollars 500.00 

For the year ending June 30th, 1912, Five Hundred 
Dollars 500.00 

For insurance on buildings and contents, Louisiana 
School for the Deaf (three years' policy) out of 
the revenues of 1911, Seven Hundred Dollars 700.00 



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